Poroshenko says he urged Putin to "stop shooting" in Donbas

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has confirmed in an interview with prominent Ukrainian TV channels some earlier reports that during the Normandy Four meeting in Berlin October 19 he urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to cease fire in the Ukrainian Donbas.

"I never raise my voice during talks. But regarding the request to stop shooting – indeed, I addressed such a request to Putin,"Poroshenko said.

A so-called Normandy dinner was held in Berlin October 19, with the participation of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the meeting, the reports claiming President Poroshenko had raised his voice while debating with Putin, telling him: "No, you just stop shooting!"

In the same interview aired on Sunday, Poroshenko also named the conditions required to hold local elections in Donbas region, among them the implementation of the security component of Minsk agreements and the adoption of a relevant law by the Verkhovna Rada.

"When will the elections [in Donbas] be held? There are two positions: first - security provisions shall be fulfilled, second – the [Ukrainian] parliament shall vote for it [the law on elections in certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions]," he said.